2015 Citizen

Todd Short

2015 JASPER COUNTY CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Todd started his career as volunteering coach at St. Thomas. He gave students the opportunity to participate in sports, to be a part of a team and learn from a great leader. He showed them how to work hard to accomplishment their goals, that there is an opportunity out there for everyone. He has coached football, Track, and JV baseball for 20 plus years while working with students on and off the field.

Todd has been involved with the Athletic Boosters for over 10yrs. He sits on the board to help make decisions for all Athletic programs at the NCHS. There have been several fundraiser events, from hog roasts, cash raffle on Media Night, and t-shirt sales, raising over $100,000 and using it to offset expenses for all sports.

The Carolyn Dominick “Miss D” Foundation was formed over 6 years ago by Todd. He had his heart set out to help her for all the lives she had touched and what she had put into our community through the years she was here. As the original founder, it was set up to raise money for Miss D while she was under care in the nursing home for brain disease.

For the last 5 years, this group has organized the “Miss D 5K/10K walk/run”. Money raised from this event is given directly to the NCHS Academic Scholarship Education Fund, where scholarships are given out each year in excess of $1,000 to at least two NCHS graduates pursing education.

Todd was also named Coach of the year for Track by the Decatur Herald Review.

Recently, Todd jumped on board with the wonderful organization Blessings in a Back-pack, helping all school aged kids make sure they have the food they need.

Todd has taken in underprivileged students that may not have had a home for a time and provided them with a stable environment to grow in by showing them moral support, providing financial needs, job opportunities and friendships, giving them opportunities they wouldn’t have had before. I have seen Todd pay for meals, shoes, clothes, and food for the freezer. He has helped them fill out college applications and moved them to and from school just to get them on the right path. Without an individual like Todd, a large number of student athletes would fall through the cracks without achieving life goals and higher education.

By putting students that need him over himself, he earns their respect in so many ways. Even the students he is not helping directly are watching and learning from his selfless acts of kindness. Every child looks at him as part of their family.

Todd has exceptional pride in this community. What Todd is doing with our youth is not being overlooked. He does this without expecting to be paid, recognized or even noticed. Success of several of the student body starts and ends with Todd. Through his mentoring, they have turned into respectable adults that are now giving back to their community just as Todd has.